FY2002 Budget Summary

Border Patrol agent growth continues to strain capacity at existing Border Patrol facilities along the border. While considerable levels of Construction program resources have been appropriated, still more new facilities must be constructed to accommodate continued agent growth, and to continue the replacement of deteriorating and antiquated facilities. The FY 2002 Border Patrol Construction request will allow INS to complete construction on those projects for which funds were previously provided, and continue investment in Border Barriers.

Full Construction Projects ($42,728,000) --
Temecula, CA, Border Patrol Station - $6,000,000
El Centro, CA, Border Patrol Sector Headquarters - $6,050,000
Chula Vista, CA Border Patrol Station - $9,033,000
Yuma, AZ, Border Patrol Sector Headquarters - $2,000,000
Alpine, TX, Border Patrol Station - $2,692,000
Laredo, TX Checkpoint System - $7,028,000
Brownfield, CA Lead Mitigation - $3,925,000
San Diego Border Barriers - $3,000,000
Southwest Border Infrastructure - $3,000,000

A total of $31,890,000 is requested to support the planning and construction of additional detention bed space. The total number of apprehended illegal aliens consistently exceeds available detention space due to many factors: average length-of-stay per detainee; lack of reliable bedspace availability; and the success of INS Inspectors, Investigators, and the Border Patrol in apprehending illegal border crossers.

INS' detention and removal efforts will suffer if additional reliable bedspace is not created. In many INS Districts, contracting for detention space is not a viable option considering the remoteness of the locations in which INS operates, and the prospect that other law enforcement agencies also are seeking to use scarce state/local bedspace.

Full Construction ($31,890,000) --
Port Isabel, TX, Service Processing Center (200 Bed Secure dormitory) -- $7,000,000
Krome, FL, Service Processing Center -- $14,890,000
El Centro, CA, Service Processing Center - $3,000,000
El Paso, TX, Service Processing Center - $7,000,00

The FY 2002 budget continues the multi-year Southwest border initiative at critical border points, such as El Paso and Port Isabel, TX, El Centro, CA, and in Florida. Successful border enforcement operations all along the border necessitate additional detention space, particularly at the INS-owned SPCs. Accompanying this detention bed increase is the need for support space, such as asylum offices, attorney-client rooms, and laundry space, sufficient to accommodate the increasing detainee levels. This FY 2002 detention construction request addresses some critical shortcomings at existing facilities that not only provides for better detainee management but also, will augment the safety of staff and the at-large detention population. Detention facility Master Site Plans, designed to lay out detention construction requirements, have been formulated for many of the SPCs, and now serve to guide the detention construction program.